KINGS OF CRICKET: The Golden Era

"Coach Seles is angry," Orion whispered to Isa. Isa exhaled wordless.

Elias clenched his fists and said, "Sorry, Aigou."

Aigou looked up, managing a brief smile and gesturing to Elias with a "Why?"

Elias remained silent.

"D-did you know this would happen?" Aigou guessed, struggling with his words.

Elias nodded, guilt evident in his expression.

Aigou patted his arm reassuringly. "Your partner isn't that sensitive. Just watch how I roll now," he declared confidently. "Come, Heber," he called.

Heber walked beside Aigou as he signaled with two fingers to indicate a run. "Once I show you this, it means run, no matter the cost," he instructed seriously.

"Yes," Heber replied, nodding earnestly.

As Isa, Orion, Xavier, and Elias returned, Rauf inquired, "How's he?"

"Not great, but not terrible either, just like you, we've become stubborn, always making others cross," Evan glanced at Seles, taking his place.

"Aigou…" Alan whispered, still concerned.

Rauf glanced at Seles, who was biting his lip and shifting his attention between his tablet and Aigou.

"Don't worry too much, Seles. This generation won't end up in the hospital that easily," Nidou assured ironically.

Kenzo raised an eyebrow, while Helios rested his hand on his face, both at a loss for words.

"He's still a kid, you, heartless jerk." Mir uttered, annoyed.

Musa scratched his head in disbelief.

Aigou tapping his bat, once again stood attentively.

Delivering the fifth ball of the over, Juhan whispered, "Zephyr's Curl."

"Tch, another one?" Aigou thought jadedly.

A gentle but precise breeze subtly blowing, it instantly altered the trajectory of the ball from left to right as soon as it tapped on the pitch, causing it to swing sharply at Aigou in the last moment. Slightly thrown off due to his injury, Aigou directed it towards the third and fourth slips, taking a quick single.

"Oh!!" the fielders on gully, point and second slip went along with the crowd. 

Heber, on the striker's end, prepared for the final ball of the over, while Aigou removed his helmet, crouching down and staring at the ground. A

lan's concern deepened as he narrowed his gaze.

"Substitutes, be ready," Nidou said.

Rauf and Alan exchanged glances before looking ahead.

Silently, Alan placed his bat and gloves beside him, sitting cross-legged by the boundary line. Seraph, Poseidon, and Kenzo exchanged wordless looks. 

As Juhan delivered a slightly sharp and short ball for the last ball of the over, Heber exhaled and whispered, "Joker Cage."

Juhan gasped as the scene around him altered into a circus room. Heber smiled as he stepped forward, causing the ball to slow down significantly. Juhan, puzzled, narrowed his gaze.

"You see… you're not the only one who can manipulate wind. Inside my Joker Cage, everything you control is under my command!" Heber declared, smashing the ball towards long-on for a six.

"And he absolutely launches that one! Heber Bin Saad steps down the track and meets the ball perfectly, sending it soaring high over long-on! A massive 91-meter six deep into the stands!" Maaz exclaimed.

Aigou, gazing at the stands, smiled, "That's it, boy. That's confidence under pressure," he whispered proudly.

"Yes! Way to go, Senior Heber!" Azazel cheered.

Kenzo smiled beside Ryan and Helios.

"So cool," Senri remarked proudly.

"Amazing. I thought Aigou was the only one going big, but Heber's not far behind," Ren noted.

"Whoever stands with Aigou on that crease can't stay calm. He's invigorating," Isa observed.

Haruf nodded and glanced at Adam, whose eyes sparkled with excitement.

The third over ended with 25 runs on the board and no loss, with a run rate of 8.33.

Aigou and Heber exchanged fist bumps, celebrating. "All your anxiety gone?" Aigou asked playfully.

Heber smiled, "Absolutely." "How's your jaw…?" he then inquired, but Aigou simply patted Heber's shoulder before heading back to the crease. His hair changing from red to maroon.

Heber blinked in surprise. "Radiance of Pain."

"Aigou's second stage of Door of Radiance. He activated it after getting hurt," Elias explained.

"Now things are getting interesting," Orion grinned.

As Wasif took the ball from Juhan for the fourth over, he asked, "Did you notice that middle schooler's ability?"

Juhan nodded, glancing at Heber, "Yeah, it was a strange circus room. My delivery suddenly slowed down before it hit his bat."

"So what does that mean?" Wasif asked with a wink.

"Either he can manipulate wind inside that space, or he can control the ball's movement," Juhan replied.

"And there's one more thing," Wasif added.

Juhan's gaze narrowed in puzzlement.

"He can control time," Wasif said.

Juhan's expression widened momentarily.

"Or, he might be able to do all those things together, but it seems he can't use his circus ability on spins. Makes you wonder why, right? Just thinking about it is thrilling," Wasif commented as he moved to his mark.

Delivering the first ball of the fourth over, Wasif stepped onto the popping crease and whispered, "Piercing Arrow!"

Aigou squinted, thinking, "Ah, that delivery again." He recalled the last one he had hit for a six. His expression shifted to confidence as he whispered, "Arena Acting." Once again, he raised his bat high and smashed the ball toward deep mid-wicket.

The crowd erupted.

"THUNDEROUS CRACK! Another six from Aigou Mir Yuaan! Back-to-back sixes! What an unbelievable partnership!" Jones remarked, "These two have completely taken control! The pacers are struggling, and the fielders can only watch as the ball sails away again."

"Yes!! Way to go!!" Karachi's pavilion erupted with excitement.

Alan glancing at Nidou asked, "They're glistening, don't you think old man?"

Nidou, staring at the pitch, held an unhinged flat line on his face. "Glistening is not enough…" he muttered.

"huh?" Alan gave him questioned look while Rauf and Kenzo glanced seriously.

"They must burn. To become stars, they must burn." Nidou added, his gaze serious. 

Wasif, heading back, noticed Aigou glancing at him before turning to his hand, which was now trembling even more.

"My six didn't make it into the stands…" Aigou thought, glancing up to see Wasif grinning. His hair blazed upward like orange flames. "Door of Absolute Control, Phase One: Absolute Self-Control," he whispered.

Heber narrowed his gaze in caution.

"He activated his door," Ryan noted.

"But Senior Aigou still hit a six?" Feng asked, confused.

"Yeah, in Phase One: Absolute Self-Control, no external changes are visible because Wasif focuses all his energy internally, making himself stronger. He can concentrate all his body's energy into any part of his body," Nagi explained.

"Huh?" Poseidon looked puzzled.

"Don't you see? Aigou's sixes are getting shorter each time," Senri pointed out.

"That's because Wasif is pouring all his energy into his arm at the last moment, making the delivery heavier and more powerful," Nagi elaborated, "It might not seem like it, but every six Aigou hits off his deliveries is like smashing a boulder coming at you at full speed. It's draining his stamina and power immensely. And, Aigou's already hurt on top of that."

"You mean once Senior Aigou starts losing his power, he won't be able to hit a six?" Seraph asked.

"Yes, his shots will fall short, and a short shot means a catch," Elias replied.

"That's why Aigou is going all out during the powerplay, using his Realm to its utmost limit," Aaron added. 

Taking a single on the next delivery, Heber tapped his bat on the crease and looked up. Wasif delivered the third ball of the over, aiming for the stumps, which Heber defended on the spot.

"So heavy! It's like I'm hitting a bowling ball, not a cricket ball," Heber thought, feeling slightly wary.

Activating his Joker Cage in the next three deliveries, Heber accumulated six more runs. The over ended with 38 runs on the board and no loss.

"Something's not right," Kenzo wondered aloud, "They're both high school pacers, yet they're not playing aggressively to get wickets. Are they too weak or just pretending?"

"He's right. There's no urgency, no pressure in the field, even though we're catching up on the run chase quite well," Gabriel added.

Rauf glanced at Romeo in Islamabad's pavilion, who seemed to be staring at him for a while. Romeo gave a light smile.

"You all caught that?" Elias asked.

The middle schoolers exchanged silent looks.

"Islamabad United is famous for their serene second innings," Nagi explained.

"Serene second innings?" Xavier repeated, curious.

"They always play their first innings with intense aggression and their second with a sense of calm," Noah elaborated.

"Why is that?" Azazel asked, confused.

"Because of Romeo," Nagi replied gravely.

"What?" the middle schoolers responded in unison.

"Observe and think," Evan advised, "Soon, you'll feel something—something both terrifying and awe-inspiring. Let's see who among you notices it first," Evan added as the high schoolers went silent, leaving the middle schoolers deep in thought.